After 4 years of campaigning, fund raising and building, Cuthbert Wilfrid Francis Noyce; mountaineer, author master at Charterhouse School, and special forces officer opened the Youth Centre, Godalming on 6 June ’62.
He was a member of the ’53 British Expedition that made the first ascent of Mount Everest. A matter of weeks after opening the centre, Noyce died in a mountaineering accident after a successful ascent of Mount Garmo in the Pamirs, Tajikistan and the youth centre was named posthumously, the Wilfrid Noyce Centre, in his honor.
On 12 September ’64, The Rivals played their second gig – a short interval slot of half a dozen numbers – at the Centre. The bands amp was insufficient, and they borrowed some kit from The Cutaways, but not knowing how to use the borrowed kit, it didn’t go well.
On the 9 December ’72, the Half Moon Folk Club, Farncombe, in partnership with Stag Folk Club, Shackleford, presented a charity folk concert, at the Centre, in aid of G.O.P.W.A. for a drop-in centre for the elderly. In ’73, The Jam won a battle of the bands held at the Centre. Guildford / Godalming synth band Technik visited the Wilfrid Noyce Centre on 11 April ’85, to support Cabina Telefonica. Snuff, supported by Leatherface and Wat Taylor, performed there on 2 June 90 – both bands and all their gear traveling to the gig in one transit van – with Steve Porter the bassist with Peachrazor being awarded for the farthest stage dive that night, having walked into the guitarist on stage before taking his leap. Who Moved the Ground? visited on 30 July ’93, as did Winterfall in ’94.
Increasing costs lead to the venues closure in 2015. Subsequently the town council voted to create a new / refurbished community venue. It has subsequently reopened with Noyce’s two sons present and has hosted many great gigs since.
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